The Agency for Rural Affairs (Mavi) is responsible for the use of EU agricultural aid and rural funds in Finland. Mavi acts as the paying agency in Finland. It administers grants of more than two billion Euros annually.

The support systems administered by the Agency for Rural Affairs encourage rural entrepreneurs to diversify their operations and to develop the structure of agricultural business. The purpose of aid to farmers is to safeguard the profitability and continuity of agricultural production. Rural companies may receive funding for starting, developing and expanding operations. Rural entrepreneurs, for example, may apply for financing aid for investments and young farmers for starting farming.

High quality products, improvement of the state of the environment and production animals’ well-being are also encouraged by aid payments. Development projects further different lines of business, encourage people to take good care of the environment and improve comfortable housing in rural areas.

The Agency for Rural Affairs ensures that its customers receive the farmers’ support aid, rural finance and development grants as well as market support payments on time and on the correct grounds.

The Agency for Rural affairs steers advises and trains Centres for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment, municipalities and Leader action groups, which serve the customers of the aid administration. In addition, agency administers the information systems used to handle support aid applications. It serves its customers by further developing electronic customer services on the internet.

The Agency for Rural Affairs, which operates within the administrative sphere of the Finnish Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, was founded in spring 2007 in Helsinki. The operations of the Agency for Rural Affairs will relocate to Seinäjoki during 2008 – 2011.